Following in his Footsteps
by ErinisMagic
Summary: Hiccup and Astrid have long since realized that they don't quite agree on how their daughter should be raised. They both want what's best for her, but what would that be? She, however, has figured that out for herself and is intent on keeping her secret life away from disapproving eyes. It's going well, until a mysterious new rider arrives on Berk, and everything falls apart.
1. Introduction

This is Berk.

Rocky, hilly, icy, full of steep cliffs popping up at you where you'd least expect them, it's the exact opposite of the kind of place you'd want to be if you were me. Still, it's home. It's more than that, actually; it's the only place I've ever known. Dad might have gone out exploring the other islands when he was younger, but not me. I'm not allowed off the island. In fact, I'm not even allowed out of the house.

My name is Kata, by the way. Daughter of Chief Hiccup and Astrid Haddock, and local blind girl.

You may be thinking that life's good for me, being so closely related to the Pride of Berk. Well, it's not. I mentioned not being allowed out of the house, right? It's not an exaggeration, I am _literally _not allowed out of the house. Half the time, I'm not even allowed out of my room.

Okay, I shouldn't say it like that. Saying like that makes it seem like my parents are abusive or something. It's just that they don't want to see me get hurt. I can understand their worries (Berk isn't exactly the safest place, even with working eyes), but keeping me locked up inside has driven me absolutely batty.

I complain about it, a lot, to Dad. He wasn't allowed out much as a kid, either. He says he understands, but I don't think he does. He had an apprenticeship with Gobber, and he had that book he was always making sketches in. Me, I've got nothing. I can't read, I can't draw, and I can't leave the house. Sometimes Dad makes things for me, like instruments and stuff, but they only keep me entertained for a little while. After all, wouldn't you get bored playing the flute all day every day?

Even so, playing the flute is better than listening to The Fights. The Fights started when I was young, when Dad had one idea about how I should be raised and Mom had another. They aren't anything relationship shattering, but I do hate hearing them yell at each other. Every night, right after dinner, there's something new for them to argue about. Dad thinks I should be let out of the house, but Mom says no. Mom thinks I should learn how to fight, but Dad says no way. Dad thinks I should get a dragon, but Mom starts screaming that if I can't see, how could I stay safe on the back of a dragon? Dad shouts back that if that's true, then her ideas seem even worse. Who in their right mind would teach a blind girl how to fight? Mom gets offended and argues that, by that logic, his ideas are the worst of all. You'd have to be insane to let a blind girl out into a village of aggressive, rash Vikings on the backs of fire-breathing dragons, to which Dad responds that it wouldn't be a problem if I had a dragon of my own.

Sometimes I don't think they realize that I'm blind, not deaf.

After that night's Fight is over, Dad or Mom will come upstairs and keep me company for a while. Mom always tells stories of the amazing battles she won, soaring through the sky with Stormfly, never once getting hurt. When Dad comes up, he talks about me.

"I know you're not happy," he says. "When I was your age, I wasn't, either. But your mom will come around. You just need to be patient, that's all."

After their stories are finished, Mom and Dad apologize to each other for The Fight.  
>Once they've done that they fly their dragons, or they go straight to bed. I always stay up for a while, thinking about how nice it must feel to be as free as them.<p>

-§-

When Dad was my age, he snuck out and trained a dragon.

You'll be glad to know that those little hobbies run in the family.


	2. One

The sun is warm on my face when I wake up. I get out of bed and make my way to the window, just like I do every sunny morning. I stick my hand outside and feel a light breeze. The air is nice: not too hot, not too cold. Perfect for flying.

"Mom?" I call out. "Dad?"

"Down here!" Dad calls back. I hear him come up the stairs, his metal foot squeaking slightly. "Morning," he greets as he comes into my room.

"Morning," I say back. He crosses over to me, wrapping in a hug. If I stand on my tiptoes, I can lean my head against his shoulder. He smells like sea-spray. He smells like fish, too, but everyone around here smells like fish so I usually just ignore it.

"Your mom's out flying," he says when we pull apart.

I nod, and know that he desperately wants to be out flying, too. I can hear it in his voice and tell him as much.

"No, of course not!"

"You're lying. I know you want to go." He sighs at that, and I know that I've got him. "I'll be fine by myself for a few hours," I say.

He hesitates, then, "Well..."

"You haven't flown Toothless in ages, Dad. He wants to go just as much as you do." I smile and look up to where I'm relatively sure my father's face is. He chuckles and tilts my head up a bit. I laugh, too, because for whatever reason I always think that people are shorter than they actually are. It might be because I'm short, myself.

"You're sure you'll be fine on your own?"

"Positive. It's not like I haven't been home alone before."

He runs a hand through my hair, which I, unlike most others on Berk, prefer to wear down. It's not like I have any sort of resentment bubbling for braids, though, I just prefer it loose. "You'll be careful?" he asks, and his voice is so full of worry and love that it makes me want to throw myself off a cliff for doing what I'm about to do. Still, I smile and lie flawlessly. "Of course."

He kisses the top of my head and I pray to Odin that he leaves soon; I'm on the verge of guilty tears already.

Luckily, the Gods are merciful. "Do you need anything before I go?"

I hold in a sigh of relief. "Yeah... where are my boots? I don't remember taking them off."

"They're over by the door," he says, taking my arm and leading me a few steps.

I pull out of his grasp, saying "It's fine. I've got it," and walk to the door myself. Once my hand touches the door frame, I drop to a crouch and feel around for my boots. Sure enough, they're there, so I grab them and put them on.

Dad comes up behind me and sighs. There's a lot of emotion behind the sigh, but I can't decipher any of it. "I'll be back soon."

"And I'll be here," I reply, listening as he goes down the stairs. The door creaks open, then bangs shut, and I count to fifty just to be sure. I don't hear another sound, so I creep down the stairs, counting each step, and over to the door. I put my ear against it, just in case someone is coming up the path, but again I hear nothing.

The door is heavy, and I have to push against it with my whole body, but once I get it open I'm flooded with warm sun and fresh air. It'd be nice to stay and enjoy it, but I've got places I need to be. I pull the door shut, feel my way around the house, and run straight into the forest. I know the path well enough to not fall, but I do stumble once or twice. The trees cover the forest in a cool shade, and I walk a few steps in before stopping and whistling lowly. Bot, as usual, comes running.

Bot is my dragon. He's small (just big enough for me to ride), quick, and not from around here. He got blown in by a huge storm a couple years back. I was sitting in my room, listening to the wind howl outside, when I suddenly heard claws scrabbling at my windowsill. I went over to investigate and found myself with an armful of wet and terrified dragon. I hid him under my blanket until the next morning, then snuck him into the forest when my parents were out. He's been my best friend ever since.

Bot has a line of curled spikes down his back. I place my hand on the one on his neck and tell him, "Clearing, Bot. Go."

He's smart, my dragon; he knows exactly where to take me. He leads me there, helping me dodge trees and branches, chirping whenever there's something on the path that I might trip over. He stops and chirps again to tell me that we've reached the clearing, but I already know. The sunlight is unobstructed here, and it pours down over us, making everything seem better.

"Bot," I say, resting my hand on his head, "Look up. Are there any dragons in the sky?"

He nods.

"How many?"

Two small roars.

"A Night Fury and a Nadder?"

He nods again, and I pet his head.

"Watch them for me, okay bud? Tell me if they go to land?" He chirps an affirmative, and I throw my arms around his neck. "Thank you," I whisper. He twists around in my embrace and starts licking me, his tongue dragging over my cheek. I giggle and try to pull away, but he tackles me to the ground and playfully pins me, continuing to lick me to death.

"Bot!" I cry, shrieking with laughter. "You know that doesn't wash out!" Bot laughs too, in the way dragons laugh. He lets me back up and nuzzles me for attention, which I am more than happy to give. I scratch his forehead, causing him to purr loudly as he pushes his head up against my hand. I switch to stroking his neck, thinking that it really is such a beautiful day. It'd be a shame to waste it.

Bot's nearly shaking with excitement as I climb onto his back. "Stay under the trees," I tell him. Then, just like that, we're off.


	3. Two

Kata was right, Hiccup thinks as he and his dragon soar through the air. It _had _been ages since he and Toothless had flown like this. He tried to fly Toothless everyday, but he always seemed to be so busy being chief that they never managed more than a quick spin around the island, usually while Hiccup was surveying for trouble. Sometimes, he didn't even have the time for that, and Astrid had to fly for him. But now, there is nothing that Hiccup needs to do, so he and his dragon can enjoy the kind of flying they had before.

The sun beats down upon the pair as they climb into the sky, free as birds. The wind rushes through Hiccup's hair as he cheers in delight, Toothless mimicking him with an excited roar. Hiccup laughs, contemplating jumping off and flying on his own, but he spots Astrid and Stormfly on the horizon. Talking with Kata that morning, Hiccup realized something, and he wanted to talk to Astrid about it while she was in a good mood.

"Good morning, milady," Hiccup greets sweetly, guiding Toothless close enough for his to lean over and give his wife a kiss.

"Hi," she replies with a smile. Her smile quickly disappears when she remembers Hiccup isn't supposed to be flying. "Did you leave Kata home alone?"

Hiccup sighs, although he understands why Astrid is mad. He would be too, if she had been the one to leave Kata alone without telling him. "She's fifteen," he says. "When we were her age, we were training to fight dragons! She'll be fine for an hour or two."

Angrily, Astrid pulls on Stormfly's saddle, pointing her towards home. "Wait," Hiccup calls, shooting ahead and blocking her path. "Just hear me out. I know you're worried about her getting hurt; I am too. But keeping such a close eye on her all the time... I think it might be doing more harm than good."

"We'll talk about this later," Astrid said firmly, trying to dodge the black dragon in her path only to find herself blocked again.

"Please Astrid, _listen_. We're only worried about Kata all the time because she's blind, right? We think, if she can't see, how is she going to know that she's walking straight into her bed, or down the stairs or out the window? But she does know!"

The other rider's raised eyebrow lets Hiccup know he needs to explain.

"She doesn't _need _to see, Astrid. She can make her way around her room perfectly fine; she doesn't need directions, or to be led, she knows where everything is. And I think that if we took her into the village once and a while, she'd learn where things are there, too."

"Hiccup-"

"C'mon, just give her a chance. She might surprise you. Besides, she's been home alone before."

Astrid sighs in frustration. "It's not the same," she tells him, but her resolve is weakening. It is, after all, a beautiful morning, and she'd like to spend it flying. She thinks about her daughter, and how utterly lost she and her husband had been raising the girl. Kata was the first blind child on Berk to survive past a few years, so there was no precedence.

Now that she's thinking about it, it makes sense that Kata would know how to move through her room. She's spent nearly her whole life in there, so sight or no sight she should know it pretty well. Still, Astrid isn't sure how safe it is for her to be alone all morning.

Her husband gives her a smile. "Just this once," he says. "If it doesn't work out, then I'll never do it again. I promise."

The silence that follows is maddeningly long. Hiccup bites his lip, desperately wanting his wife to say yes. Seeing Kata navigate her room that morning made him realize that she wasn't as helpless as they thought, and he instantly knew that they were stifling her with their constant supervision. Even though every time he looks at her he sees his precious baby girl, he knows that it's time she gained some freedom.

"Just this once," she says at last, turning to fly off into the clouds. Hiccup's smile broadens until he's grinning ear to ear, and he flies off after his wife.


	4. Three

It's a good morning when my dragon and I get to spend time flying just how we like: low and fast, with lots of twists and turns. To an outsider, it might not seem like the safest activity, the two of us dodging trees and rocks as we zoom along just above the forest floor, but I trust Bot with my life. I know he won't crash, even as he keeps an eye on the skies, and we move completely in sync.

In my mind, I make notes of all the turns we make, and I know that we're coming up on the cove where Dad befriended Toothless. I like the cove; it makes me feel safe. Bot likes it too, especially the lake. I don't know for sure where he lived before he came to Berk, but I'm pretty sure it was someplace tropical. I guess the water reminds him of home.

There are a few sharp turns on the path to the cove, and I tighten my grip on Bot's spine, planting my feet in a firmer stance. You see, the way I ride isn't exactly... conventional. The reasons for this are 1: I don't have a saddle, and I couldn't get one even if I wanted to- I can't make one myself, and asking Dad to build one for me would be admitting I've been sneaking out to see the dragon I'm not supposed to have- and 2: I move more fluidly in what I call my Riding Stance. I keep a hold of the spike on Bot's neck, and plant one foot in the space between the next spike and the one after that. My other foot goes in the space behind that one. My Riding Stance lets me balance perfectly during flight, and I can always feel Bot's movements almost before he makes them.

When we reach the cove, Bot dips down just a bit and begins to circle the area along its rounded walls. I let go of the spike on his neck and straighten up, so I'm not leaning forward like I am in my Riding Stance. I adjust my balance and enjoy the feel of the wind rushing past me. This is why I prefer my hair down: I feel free as it streams out behind me, an effect that isn't quite the same with a braid.

Then, Bot does something I really love. He flies over to the lake and drops in, shooting along just below the surface of the water as fast as he was flying before. I smile wide as I crouch down on his back, stretching out my hands so that my fingers skim the water. I can't explain why I love it so much, but there's something about the wind in my hair and the water under my fingertips that just feels magical. Cliché, I know, but I can't think of a better way to describe it.

We reach the water's edge far too soon for my liking. Bot climbs out, and I dismount so he can shake himself dry. I giggle as tiny drops of water land all over me, not minding one bit; I'm enjoying the sun too much to be bothered by a little water, even if it is a tad cold.

I stretch out a hand and begin to feel my way to the rock I know is towards my left. Almost immediately Bot darts up next to me, nudging my leg until I drop my hand and let him be my eyes. When we reach the rock I lean against it, turning my face up into the warmth of the sun. Bot curls up at my feet, enjoying the weather just like me.

-§-

I'm not sure how much time I've spent on the rock when I feel a webbed paw bat against my leg. Bot's whining, and I instantly know what's happening. "Take me home, Bot," I say, jumping into my Riding Stance just in time for my clever dragon to take off through the forest.

His wings beat fast. Low-lying branches whip at my face as I crouch on his back; this is not the time for worrying about climbing off without a scratch, it's the time for worrying if I'll make it back in time to not get caught. I can hear it now, the thud of boots as they walk into the house, my parents calling for me, the mounting concern in their voices as I don't answer back. There'll be footsteps on the stairs, cries of fear and anger when they find my room empty, and then I'll show up, standing sheepishly on the front step with my forbidden dragon as my parents lecture and scold me into the afterlife.

"Faster boy," I whisper, holding onto hope that we can still beat Mom and Dad back to the house.

Bot does not disappoint, shooting along the forest floor at top speed. I hold my breath, trying not to think about how Mom's probably already leading Stormfly back to her stable, and how, at this very moment, Dad could be taking of Toothless's saddle. "Please," I whisper, praying I make it home before they do. "Please, please, _please._"

We emerge from the forest behind my house, but Bot does not stay hidden in the shadows like he normally does. We can hear my parents' voices and the squeak of the door being opened, and I know I only have a few seconds left before total disaster. Bot flies me up to my window, just in time for me to hear Mom call for me.

"Up here, Mom," I reply, hoping I don't sound breathless or anything.

I crawl through the window, shooing Bot back towards the forest as I hear footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey," Mom says, coming into my room. Dad follows her in but doesn't say anything.

"Hi." I smile. "How was your flight?"

"It was great," she says, walking over to me and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Stormfly and I were finally able to- what's this in your hair?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, my hands flying to my head. I run my fingers through my hair trying to find what it is my Mom saw, and they brush against something small, slightly bendy and sharp.

_Oh._

It's a pine needle. I bite my lip as I pull it out, preparing a story for how it got on me while I was sitting in my room like a good little girl.

"A pine needle?" Mom sounds confused, and a little suspicious. "How on Earth did you get a pine needle in your hair?"

"Well, it was really windy before. It probably just got blown in, or something." Ugh, that sounded even lamer than in my head.

"It wasn't windy."

"Um, well, you were up pretty high, right? Maybe you were just above the wind." What am I saying? Is that even possible?

Mom doesn't say anything, sending the room into an awkward silence. I let it last for about two seconds before breaking it, asking "Where's my brush?" I'd been feeling for it on my nightstand, but it wasn't there.

"I'll get it," Mom says. Or starts to. She stops in the middle of her sentence.

"It's over on your desk," Dad tell me in a strangely serious voice.

"Why's it on my desk?" I ask to no one in particular as I walk over to it. "First my boots, now my brush. Do you guys, like, come up here and move things around while I sleep?"

I reach the desk and run my hands over the surface, finding my brush easily enough. I grab it and start to straighten out my hair, which had more than a few pine needles in it. The silence returns, and this time I leave it up to Mom and Dad to start talking.

The silence continues, but it feels far from empty. I assume that Mom and Dad are having some sort of secret conversation, not using words so that I won't know what they're talking about.

I hate it when they do that.

As I wait for them to finish their discussion, which seems to be taking forever, I wonder what they're saying to each other. If they're not speaking out loud, it's probably about me. I sigh softly, wishing that they would include me in their conversation. If it's about me, I should have some input.

Eventually, they come to a conclusion. "Kata," Dad says.

"Mmm?"

"I've got some work to do this afternoon. Why don't you and your Mom go visit your grandmother?"

I smile. My parents are actually giving me permission to leave the house! Sure, I'm only going to Grandma's and, yes, I've been more interesting places on my own, but they're showing me that they _trust me_.

"I'd love to."


	5. Four

"I can't believe I never noticed," Astrid says in a half-whisper, watching her daughter walk confidently down the stairs. She's counting them silently as she goes, mouthing the numbers as she makes her way down step by step.

"Noticed what?" Hiccup replies, looking up from the Book of Dragons, which he was busy updating.

"How much we've been underestimating her."

Hiccup follows his wife's gaze and smiles. Kata is waiting by the door, a smile on her lips as well. "When did she get so grown up?" he muses.

Kata turns her face to him. "Are you talking about me?"

Hiccup laughs, shaking his head as he smiles at his wife, who giggles as well. Kata frowns, says "You know, I _really_ don't like it when you talk about me when I'm still in the room."

"We never do that!" Astrid objects untruthfully.

"You were doing it before, too," the teen continues. "You weren't using words, so I wouldn't know what you were saying. But I still noticed."

"How?" Hiccup asks. "How could you possible know that?"

Kata shakes her head, her from turning into a small smile. "It wasn't an empty silence," she explains. "I could... feel that another conversation was going on." After years of those silents conversations, Kata had become good at reading the silences between her parents. Right now, the silence is slightly awed, and she feels quite proud.

Hiccup clears his throat, saying "We'll head out as soon as I'm finished with this."

Astrid smiles at Kata. "Are you excited to see Grandma?" she asks, cringing as she catches herself saying "see."

The expression has no effect on Kata, who nods enthusiastically. "Uh-huh!" she says. "I haven't been to Grandma's in ages!" And it's true. Her parents had taken her many times as a child, but those visits had stopped when she had grown too big to carry. Valka had, of course, come to visit them after that, but Kata missed going someplace outside of the house.

"Alright, that about does it," Hiccup proclaims, closing the book with flourish. "Ready to go?" Kata let out an excites squeal, which he took to be a yes. He opens the door for her and takes her arm. Astrid comes up on her other side, taking her other arm.

Kata takes a deep breath and presses her lips together, wishing she could tell her parents that she didn't need to be led around like this. She remembered the path to Valka's from years ago; she would only need to be told if there was something in the path that might trip her, or something she might bump into. But she knows how hard it must be for them to bring her out, to let her walk the paths even with the two of them on her arms. Someday she'll let them know that she can do this (almost) on her own, but for today, she reminds herself, baby steps.

Her parents linger in the doorway, finding it harder than they expected to take that first step. They exchange a look over their daughter's head, preparing themselves and reassuring each other.

Kata gives their arms an impatient tug. "C'mon!" she says. "Doesn't Dad have chief stuff to get to?"


	6. Five

My first authorized steps outside are great. The weather is just as nice as it was before, and I can hear the quiet splash of the ocean not too far away. I know that we'll be following the gently curving path we're on now for a minute or two before turning onto another path on the right. After that we'll turn left, than right again, then we'll be at Grandma's house, the third house on the right. It's not a long walk, but to my parents, it must seem like miles.

It starts to seem like miles to me, too, as my parents start pulling me left and right, presumably to keep me from tripping over things in the path but causing me to stumble at the sudden tug, slamming into their sides and just barely staying on my feet. If I was any less happy at the moment, I would be complaining, but I realize that my parents are finally no longer seeing me as helpless. It makes me very proud.

We're coming up on the turn we need to take, so, before Mom can yank me to the side again, I take a step ahead of my parents and turn on my own. I run through my old memories of taking this trip in Dad's arms to figure out how long we'll be walking for before we turn again and come up with a rough estimate. I remember a tree being on the corner, and that we'd always turn just after hitting the shade, so I suppose we'll do the same this time.

Dad says something that I don't quite catch. "Hmm?" I question.

"You knew where the path was," he says again.

"Oh. Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you can't see."

The question throws me for a moment. "What has that got to do with anything? I've never- oof!" -Dad pulls me to the side- "been able to see, and I've always known where the paths are. The paths to Grandma's anyway."

"How?" Mom asks, pulling me so hard I crash into her.

"I remember."

"That's not much of an explanation," she says.

"Then how do _you_ know which paths to take?"

"I _see _them."

"Yes, and you _remember_ what they look like so you know you're taking the right one."

"... I suppose so."

"So is it really so far-fetched that_ I_ remember, too?"

They're quiet for a moment, then Dad asks, "So you know the turns, but how can you be sure that you're turning onto the right path? Or any path in general?"

I roll my eyes, something I've been doing ever since Mom complained to me about how often Dad did it. "I remember," I say again, feeling that they really should be catching on by now. I feel shadows cross my face, take a step ahead, and turn.

"Remember what?"

"How long we walk before we turn."

Neither of my parents say anything, but I feel their eyes on me. We walk in silence for a minute before Dad says, "So, if we let you walk on your own, you could?"

I decide to be honest. "Um, mostly. I'd need someone to let me know is there was something in my way, but other than that, I'd probably be fine."

Another few moments of silence, then Dad slowly pulls his arm away from mine. Mom loosens her grip, too. Damn, Vikings don't do anything by halves, do they? Just this morning, Dad was freaking out about leaving me home alone, and now here he is, trusting me to walk to Grandma's mostly on my own.

I'm trying to think of how Dad is feeling right now when I hear a slightly out-of-breath voice calling "Hiccup! Hiccup!" I stop, curious.

"Hey, Fishlegs," Dad greets.

"Did something happen?" Mom asks.

I hear Fishleg's footsteps growing slowly closer. After a moment, he stops near us, panting.

"Why don't you and Kata go ahead?" Dad says to Mom.

"But-" she starts to object.

Dad silences her with a kiss on her cheek, then shoos us away. "I'll see you later," he says. I pout, wishing I could know what's going on.

-§-

Grandma is thrilled when we show up. "Kata!" she says happily, pulling me into a hug. "How wonderful to see you! You're looking more and more beautiful all the time." She runs a hand over my hair, and her voice shakes a little. Apparently, my hair is the same color as my grandfather's, so I understand why it makes her sad. "And Astrid," she says to Mom, "you look lovely. Is that a new headband?"

"Yeah," Mom says, gently pushing me further inside the house. "I had some time on my hands."

"Well, come in both of you. Sit down." She leads me over to a chair and sits me down. My my feet, I hear the quiet snuffles of a sleeping pack of Terrors. I wonder how many other dragons Grandma has in her house.

Mom comes up behind me and starts braiding my hair while she and Grandma talk. One of the Terrors climbs into my lap and I smile, stroking it's back.

We've barely been there five minutes when Dad bursts in. "Mom," he calls, "I need your help."

"Is everything alright?" she asks.

"Does this about Fishlegs earlier?" Mom voices the question I was just about to ask.

"Yeah," Dad says. "He found a dragon in the forest. Well, actually the twins found it, but he went in after them, and he said that this dragon is like nothing he's ever seen."

My blood runs cold. _Bot._ I try to calm myself down, telling myself that Dad is going to do anything to hurt him, but all I can imagine is Bot being dragged back to the village, scared out of his mind, trying to come to me for comfort but finding hulking Vikings blocking him everywhere he turns.

"I was wondering if you might come with me to take a look at it," he continues. "No one's as good with dragons as you are."

"Of course I'll come," Grandma says. "I hope the twins didn't terrorize it too badly."

"There's tons of dragons in the forest," Mom says. "What's so different about this one?"

"I'm not sure. All he said was that it obviously wasn't from Berk."

"Oh, the poor dear must be terrified," Grandma cries, and I think she must be right. Bot's not used to other Vikings, I can only imagine how scared he is.

"Be careful," Mom tell Dad as they he and Grandma head towards the door.

"I will," he reassures her, and I can't help but send out the same wish to my dragon, and hope he isn't too frightened.


	7. Six

It had been such a lovely morning, why did it all have to go so wrong? It had been bad enough when he was woken up by the two-who-were-the-same, but then the large one had come, and now here comes _more Vikings!_ Bot whines sadly, shaking ever so slightly as he tries not to let his fear get the better of them. There weren't any Vikings on his home island, and Bot's glad of that. Vikings are scary! They're so loud and big, and there are so many of them. He backs up farther, trying to hide.

He peeks out from the bush he was sleeping under, lowering his inner eyelid so his big, pink eyes won't give him away in the foliage. Unfortunately, keeping his inner lids down means that he can only see the shadowy shapes of his environment, but at the moment, it's more important to not be seen than it is to watch the intruding Vikings in great detail.

"It was under that bush, there," says the voice of the large one, and Bot can see it raise a foreleg to point at where he had been sleeping before.

The large one has two other Vikings with him, now, a female and a male. Bot can see that the male's left hind paw isn't a regular Viking paw shape, and that he smells slightly metallic. He gathers that this must be Kata's father, the Alpha Viking, of whom Kata had talked at length. He wonders if this means that the female is Kata's mother, but soon realizes that her hair is much longer than Kata had described her mother's hair to be.

The Alpha Viking drops to a crouch, looking all over the ground in front of him. "It wouldn't have stayed there after it had been found. Where do you think it went?"

The long haired one looks around, too, before nudging the Alpha Viking, whispering, "There." She points a foreleg at Bot, who thinks _Uh oh._ He leaps to his feet, crouching down so he can run at any moment. He snaps his inner lids back up so he can see in perfect clarity.

The Alpha Viking, still crouched down, shuffles over to Bot's bush. He has a fore paw extended and is whispering soothing sounds at the scared dragon. Bot quickly studies him,weighing the Viking before him with his rider's descriptions. She had often spoke of his kindness, which Bot can see shining in his big green eyes. He looks gentle and trustworthy, the kind of father his precious Viking deserves.

The long haired one drops into his line of sight as well. She is making clicking noises, similar to ones he had overheard the other dragons on the island making. He arches his back, offended at the sharp noise. On his home, the dragons chirp and warble. They do not _click!_

He lets out a low warning growl and sends a plume of blue smoke out of his nostrils. The Alpha Viking pulls back his hand, and Bot feels a little bad. He likes the Alpha Viking, and he didn't mean to make him feel bad. He just needed that awful clicking to stop!

He quickly dashes over to the nearest tree and climbs up. As soon as he is as high as the Vikings, he flips himself around so that his tail points up to the top of the tree. He fixes the long haired one with a glare and bares his teeth at her when she tries to approach him.

"Whoa," the large one whispers, staring at Bot with wonder.

"I'm guessing you've never seen anything like it," says the Alpha Viking.

"No. There's nothing like it around here, or in the Book of Dragons."

"Incredible. All my years spent living with dragons, and I've never seen one like this," the long haired one says, awestruck, and Bot hisses at her. She quiets, wondering why this dragon doesn't like her. She had spent so long living amongst them, shouldn't it recognize her as one of its own?

"It's so... bright," the Alpha Viking notices, studying Bot's vibrantly colored body. The dragon trills curiously at him, and the Alpha Viking slowly reaches out to him.

"It might be poisonous," the large one warns.

"Poisonous?" the Alpha Viking repeats, holding his paw a few inches away from Bot's nose. Bot sniffs him and smells the scent of a Night Fury. He hums a happy note. Bot likes Night Furies, but it's been a long time since he's met one. He knows the Alpha Viking rides a Night Fury, the Alpha Dragon no less, and allows himself to imagine a happy future with the Alpha Dragon taking him under his wing, teaching him how to do tricks high in the air while Bot regaled him with stories of his tropical homeland.

"The other day I was reading about these tropical islands, and the book said that there are these frogs that have really bright colors to warn the rest of the animals not to eat it. Because, you know, it's poisonous."

"I don't think it's poisonous," The Alpha Viking tells the large one, moving his paw down and closer to Bot, as if he might try to stroke his chin. Bot raises his head and takes a step up the tree. "It might be tropical, though. Look: webbed paws."

"In all my years," the long haired one half-whispers, "I've never seen a dragon with webbed paws."

"But now the question is..." The large one trails off.

"If it's from a tropical island, how did it get here?" The Alpha Viking finishes for him. "And why doesn't it leave?" He reaches into a flap on his foreleg, and pulls out a sheet of paper. He pulls a charcoal stick out of another pocket, sets the paper on the ground, and starts to draw.

Bot looks down, wondering what the Alpha Viking is drawing, until he realizes that the Viking is drawing _him._ He shrieks _no no bad don't draw!_ as he turns around and bounds up the tree. Below him, the Vikings cry for him to stop, but he doesn't listen. He spreads his wings and takes to the sky, soaring high for a minute before diving down and weaving between the tree trunks. He soon reaches the clearing, where he hides in the tall grass, hoping the Vikings don't come after him.

He doesn't want to be drawn. Kata can't see drawings. What good is a picture of Bot if Kata can't look at it? No, he will not let himself be drawn. He will hide from the Vikings and run from the Vikings and fight them off if he has to. Well, fighting might be a bit extreme, but it is important to him: if Kata cannot enjoy the drawing, Bot will not be drawn.


	8. Seven

"Did you find the dragon?" Mom asks.

She, Dad, Grandma, and I sit around the big wooden table in Grandma's house, eating dinner. The bread Dad picked up from your friendly, neighborhood bread-making Vikings is a little burnt, but it's much more edible than the rest of the meal. Mom tries, I'll give her that, but I think it would be better for everyone if she didn't.

"Astrid, it was incredible!" Dad says excitedly. "Fishlegs was right: it was like nothing I've ever seen before. It was so bright, and... and it had these webbed paws that-!" Something thuds down on the table top seconds before a small splash, and I imagine Dad, in his excitement, waving his arms around wildly, knocking over the water jug. "Sorry," he apologizes sheepishly.

There's a moment of awkward silence before Dad walks off, probably to go find a towel or something, and Grandma continues for him. "It was quite a sight," she agrees as Dad comes back into the room. "But the poor thing was scared out of it's mind! We really ought to find some way to bring it home."

"Home?" Mom questions.

"Before you left," I say, thinking back to when Dad crashed in earlier that afternoon, "you said that Fishlegs said that the dragon wasn't from Berk."

"It's not," Dad confirms.

"So, where's it from?" I had guessed, not long after finding Bot, that he was from someplace tropical; someplace warmer than Berk at the very least. But Dad and Grandma know dragons better than I do.

"Down south, we think," Grandma answers. Dad adds to this, saying, "Maybe somewhere tropical."

Though I try not to smile, a small one escapes. It just feels so good to be right. I take a sip of water from my glass, in case anyone sees my smile and gets curious.

"But the thing is," he goes on, "if it's a tropical dragon, we need to bring it back before it gets too cold."

"That's only, like, a month from now!" Mom shouts. "And there's so much to do to get Berk ready... you'll never have the time!"

"I know, I know," Dad says tiredly.

"Plus," she goes on, "we don't even know _where_ down south we'd be taking it. Or if we even should be taking it south at all!"

"I _know_!"

"So what are you going to do?"

Dad lets out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know."

"I could take it home," Grandma offers, and I have to fight the urge to yell at her to leave my dragon alone.

"I don't think it likes you very much..."

"Nonsense! I've spent years living among dragons, why wouldn't it like me?"

"Maybe he just doesn't like strangers." I feel everyone's eyes on me and wonder what I said wrong.

"He?" Dad questions.

_Oh._ "Just... assuming." Lame cover, I know, but it's the best I've got. I start rubbing my thumbs against my dragon-scale gloves, a habit of mine when I'm nervous or uncomfortable. "...so, what are we going to do? About the dragon, and the cold." Bot's already been here for a few years, so I know he can make it through the winter. I usually help him build a nest in some small cave, and then he keeps fires going until the spring. Still, I know he gets really cold in the winter, and I absolutely hate leaving him to live like that.

"One of the other Riders could take it home," is Dad's suggestion, to which Mom replies "It's just not practical. It'd take too much time, and we have no idea where we're even supposed to be taking it!"

"What if we took it in?" There's that feeling again: everyone's staring at me.

"Take it in?" Grandma echoes, like she's waiting for me to explain.

"Sure," I say. "You do it with dragons all the time. We can take this one in, keep it warm until spring, and then find out what to do with him."

The plan is already forming in my mind. We can coax Bot into the house for the winter, and I'll take care of him. Mom will see that I can be trusted with a dragon on my own, and Dad will see the bond between us. He'd sooner die than break up the bond between dragon and rider, so Bot will stay on Berk, and I won't have to sneak out of the house every time I ant to see him. It's perfect!

"What about the whole 'not liking strangers' issue? How are we supposed to get it back to the house?"

"C'mon, Mom. It's worth a shot. We can go tomorrow."

She laughs. "We?"

"Well, I want to come, too!"

"I don't think so," Dad says, ruffling my hair.

"Please?" I put on my very best pout; big eyes, quivering lips, there's no way he can say no. _Please don't let him say no! _"Pretty, pretty please?"

There's a moment of silence, and I whisper one last, pathetic _please_. This has to work. It just has to.

"Alright," Dad says at last. "We'll go tomorrow."


	9. Eight

The party that set off for the woods that morning was a bit larger than Hiccup had planned. He originally thought only members of the Haddock family would be going after the dragon, but Fishlegs wasn't about to pass up the chance to learn more about this new dragon's species, and Eret came because he "had experience with this sort of thing," and Ruffnut wanted to spend more time with Eret, and Tuffnut goes anywhere his sister goes, and Snotlout came because he didn't want to be left out. This group, added with the four Haddocks and Toothless, who Hiccup had carrying Kata (she may know the village paths, but there is no way he's letting her walk in the forest), pretty much dashed any hopes they had of sneaking up on the dragon.

It's cooler than it was yesterday, and the shade of the forest brings the temperature down even more, making Hiccup feel sorry for the lost dragon. _If it _is_ from someplace warmer, it must be half frozen by now_, he thinks, scanning the paths for any indication of where the creature might have gone. Before long the group reaches the spot where they had found the dragon just the day before, and Hiccup stops. "Well," he says, turning around to face his friends and family, "this is the last place we saw it. Any ideas on where it might have gone?"

"Wait, saw what?" Tuffnut exclaims.

"What do you mean, 'saw what?'" Eret shoots back irritably. "Saw the _dragon._"

"Yeah, the dragon!" comes Ruffnut's echo. "Why else would we have come all the way out here?" To Astrid, she whispers, "What dragon?" causing the other woman to huff in frustraton.

"It flew west yesterday," Fishlegs offers, proud, as always, to supply the information.

"Did it?" Hiccup thinks back, trying to remember the direction the dragon took in its escape. It had been on that tree, there, and when it suddenly spooked, it turned and shot off... huh. It did go west.

"Well, what's west?" Kata asks, lounging in Toothless's saddle. She tries to think of places where Bot might be hiding, but there's so many of them. He could be in the cove, or the cave he slept in last winter, or up at the top of his favorite tree. She chews on the corner of her lip, trying to narrow it down to his most likely spot.

"There's Raven Point," Hiccup answers, "and the field we first found dragon nip in."

"The beach is west, too," Fishlegs says, even though he didn't really need to. It's an island. The beach is in every direction.

_Bot likes the beach, _Kata thinks, _but not when its this cold._ She opens her mouth to ask whether the _really _tall pine trees are west, too, but snaps it shut when she remembers that she's not supposed to know about those.

"Why don't we just walk west?" Snotlout continues. "We're bound to find the dragon eventually, right?"

Hiccup looks at Astrid, conferring silently, and shrugs. "It's as good a plan as any, I guess," he says, and they start walking.


	10. Nine

Without my feet on the ground, I have a hard time keeping track of where we are. One minute we're in full sun, and the next we're cloaked in shade. Toothless twists and turns beneath me, and I no longer know if we're heading to the Cove or to the clearing.

Dad says we're walking west- as if that means something to me- and the muscles of Toothless's back tense and shift as he carries me through the forest. I sigh and lay down in the saddle, letting my arms dangle down his sides. I feel the pull of his muscles as he turns back to look at me and huffs, as if to say _stop being such a baby. _I stretch out my foot and push his head away.

I have no doubt we'll find Bot eventually, but trudging through the forest like this is taking forever. I know that I could just whistle and Bot would be by my side in about 6 seconds, but then everyone would be asking why the dragon came for me when he's been running away from everyone else, and how I knew to call him, and other questions that would completely blow my cover. No, calling Bot is not an option; I'll just have to wait while the noisy Vikings all around me send him even further into hiding. At least he'll come out once he sees me, otherwise this whole trip would be a waste of time.

"So, what are we going to do once we find this dragon?" Mom asks.

Eret lets out a short laugh. "I was one of the greatest dragon wranglers to ever live! You just focus on finding the creature, then leave the rest to me."

"Actually," Dad breaks in hurriedly, "_actually_ I was thinking Toothless could get it down."

"Toothless?" I echo, because that was not what I was expecting. I thought that Toothless had only come along to be my babysitter; I hadn't realized Dad might have had another reason for bringing him with us.

"Yeah, he's the Alpha." Toothless shoots forward unexpectedly, and I suddenly find myself clinging to the spines on his back, halfway out of the saddle. Dad, who is now at my side, grabs me around my waist, helping me regain my balance on his dragon's back. "All dragons have to listen to the Alpha," he continues, "so I figure, if the dragon isn't coming out on its own, we can have Toothless call it over."

Toothless croons happily and I lay down again, forward this time, my chin resting on his forehead. Dad ruffles my hair, and I swat at his hand, groaning in mock-annoyance. He chuckles.

Toothless is now walking in the middle of the group, and everyone seems to be so much louder. Sticks crack underfoot as they stomp through the forest, leaves rustle as they brush against strong arms and weapons. Bot will definitely hear us coming, I think with a hum. "Don't you think we should try to be quieter?" I suggest.

Eret, who is apparently right next to me, claps me on the shoulder. "Smart girl!" he praises, making me feel like a Terrible Terror that finally learned to fetch. "Dragons do have exceptional hearing. Perhaps a little more stealth is in order."

"Whatever you say, Eret," Ruffnut whispers lowly, earning a "Blech!" from her brother. Suddenly, it feels ridiculous that I suggested we be quieter; as if the twins could be anything but loud! Besides, Vikings hardly ever do "quiet."

The noise the group is making dies away a little. Bot will still hear us, for sure, but I appreciate the effort.

We walk for a few more minutes before Grandma whispers "I think I see it. Look, there, on the top of that tree."

Everyone stops.

Now that we're no longer moving, I try to place where we are. The air is cool and shaded, and if I focus enough, I can smell pine. I don't think we're near Bot's favorite tree, because there the air _really _smells of pine, but maybe we're near the clearing? It's hard to tell.

"That's definitely it," Dad says.

"So," asks Fishlegs, "how do we get it down?"

"Looks like you're up, bud." As soon as Dad says this, Toothless sits straight up and I fall out of the saddle again. I guess that's what I get for not putting my foot in the stirrup.

Toothless roars loudly, calling to my dragon. I hear the flapping of wings and a barely audible landing, followed by a nervous chirp.

_There you are Bot,_ I think with a smile.


	11. Ten

Bot had stayed hidden in the long grass for a while, but the scent of grass was so strong it was the only thing he could smell, and the grass was too tall for him to see if the Vikings were coming. He jumped at every noise, trembled at every breeze that swayed the grass. Before long he decided that staying in the grass would be a bad idea, and that he should go out and search for Kata. She would know what to do.

Except, Bot couldn't find Kata anywhere. He looked all over the forest for her, but she wasn't there. He knew what that meant. That meant Kata was still with the other Vikings, in the place Bot was not allowed to go.

Standing at the edge of the forest, Bot's eyes dart left and right, searching the area for anyone that might see him. No one's around, so he dashes out into the open, running swiftly to Kata's home, flying up to her window and perching on the sill like he did when he was blown in by that storm all those years ago.

This time, though, Kata's room is empty. The whole house is. Curious, Bot leaps to the floor, sniffing around. Naturally, the whole room smells of his friend, but he can tell she hasn't been here for at least as long as he was hiding in the grass.

Knowing that Kata is not inside, Bot leaps back out the window, sniffing around the outside of the house in attempt to figure out where his human went. He finds the path by the door, quickly learning that Kata, and two other Vikings he assumed were her parents, followed it into the village. Unsure, Bot pauses.

Kata always told him never to go into the village. She said, if he went there, he would be taken away from her. That was more than enough to keep Bot well away from the village in the past, but now he's torn. He really, really, _really _wants to find Kata, warn her that the Vikings knew he was here and fly off with her before they could take him. On the other paw, though, he can't sneak her out of a place that simply crawled with Vikings. He wouldn't stand a chance.

Whining nervously, Bot dances from paw to paw, trying to make up his mind, until he hears someone coming. With that, he darts back into the forest and out of sight.

He knows he can't go back to the long grass, so instead he finds a tree. A tall one, not too far from the edge of the forest so he can keep an eye on Kata's house. He plans to stay up until he sees her come home. Then he can sneak back to her and, when no one's looking, they can run away together. He can take her to his home, and they can spend all day swimming in the warm, crystal clear waters, or soaring though the sky with the sun on their backs. They can play in the white sand and eat the sweet, tropical fruits. Closing his eyes, Bot accidentally drifts off, happily dreaming of that perfect future.

-§-

"I wa- ne of- greatest dr-on wrangl- ver live!"

Bot awoke with such a start that he nearly fell off the tree. _Vikings!_ They were still far away, but he'd need to move fast if he wanted to slip away unseen. _Stupid, Bot,_ he chides himself. How could he fall asleep when he needed to save Kata?

"Act-ly, _actually, _I was thin-g Too-less could ge- it down."

_Go now, go now!_ Bot spread his wings, stretching them a bit so he wouldn't get cramps in the middle of his and Kata's great escape.

"Toothless?"

He froze, mid-take off. That was Kata's voice. What is she doing with the Vikings? Had they taken her, too? She needs his help!

Turning in the direction the Vikings were coming from, he scans the forest floor. Tree branches obscure parts of the paths, but he soon spots a splash of color far below. The Vikings are still talking, moving closer, and Bot hears more of Kata's voice. She doesn't sound scared or in pain, but that doesn't mean she doesn't need him. Unfortunately, he can't attack until they're closer; where they are now is still protected by branches.

After a few more moments, they stop. Bot can see the Alpha Viking, and the long haired one. There's also the large one, and the two-who-are-the-same, and even the Alpha Dragon! On his back, Kata is lying down, thankfully unhurt. He is just about to swoop down and recue her when he hears the Alpha call him.

_Come,_ the Alpha roars. Unable to resist, Bot obeys.

He drops down the the ground, landing as quietly as possible. All eyes are on him as he tries to shrink into as small a ball as possible in front of the Alpha. The Vikings tower above him, and he feels foolish for thinking he could take on so many. He lets out a nervous chirp.

"Hey there," the Alpha Viking whispers, dropping into a crouch next to the Alpha dragon. Bot stares at him with wide, terrified eyes. _Please don't send me away!_

The Alpha Viking smiles kindly as the other Vikings crowd behind him. "Woah," a female breathes in admiration.

Looking up at them, Bot counts eight Vikings, each of them smelling of a certain dragon. The large one smells like a Gronkle, the two-who-are-the-same smell like a Zippleback, the short one smells like a Monstrous Nightmare, the one he thinks might be Kata's mother smells of a Nader, and the one with the blue chin smells like a Rumblehorn. All of these Vikings around him, but where's... Kata!

She's on the ground. _Oh no, no, no, is she hurt?_ Bot runs over to her, sending a few of the Vikings tumbling to the ground as he sprints through their group but not caring one bit. He screeches to a halt next to Kata, scanning her body for any wounds and nudging her head in search of reassurance.

"I'm okay, Bot," she whispers, using his head as support to help her sit up. He lets out a worried hum, and she continues, "Really, I'm fine."

Bot gave Kata a small, slobbery kiss. He knew she didn't speak Dragonese, but he still whispered back, _Don't worry. I'll get us out of here._


	12. Eleven

"It's okay, Kata, it's okay. Just stay very still, and very calm."

What is Dad talking about? Stay still? Stay calm? What possible reason could he have fo-

_Oh._

Yeah, I forgot: I'm not supposed to be familiar with this dragon. He thinks Bot's totally wild, and that he might attack me or something.

Well, there's only one thing I can do. I go completely still, every muscle in my body frozen. Next to me, Bot noses the side of my face, thinking something is wrong and trying to figure out what that is. "Just play along," I breathe as quietly as I can. "Act ferocious."

Bot warbles curiously, pulling away. Next thing I know, he's on my other side, trying to worm his way under my hand_. _I bite my lip, not sure what to do. Bot won't stop until I pet him, but everyone will freak out if I pet a "wild" dragon. Still, they're probably freaking out right now, what with Bot so close to me.

"Alright, just raise your hand," Dad tells me, voice soft, soothing, and scared. For lack of a better thing to do, I do as he says.

"Okay, now leave your hand there; right there. And look towards me. Turn your head over here."Again, I follow his instructions, figuring this is probably how he deals with unfamiliar dragons.

I feel a few puffs of air on my palm as Bot sniffs my hand, wondering, as am I, just what the hell I'm doing. I'm only doing this for the others' sake, but it feels ridiculous, making a display of earning the trust of my own dragon.

Bot gently places his warm nose on my hand, and I rub his smooth, scaly skin. He purrs, pushing against my hand as if asking for more. Happy to oblige, I scratch his jaw where it connects to his mane of spikes. He all but collapses into my lap, a warm puddle of happy dragon. For lack of a better thing to do, I run my hand along his shoulders, and his purring gets louder.

Grandma laughs. "He likes ya," she says, and I can hear the smile in her voice. I smile, too, happy to hear the sighs of relief from the Vikings around me; those who actually recognized something was wrong, anyway. A confused "Wait, what?" from Tuffnut alerts me to the fact that he has no idea what's going on.

"Well, I guess getting it home won't be a problem," Dad says, placing a proud hand on my shoulder. He gently nudges Bot off my lap and helps me stand up.

As soon as I'm on my feet, Bot is bounding around my legs, making small, excited _yips_. I reach my hand out to calm him down, and he happily slides his cheek against my palm, licking the inside of my wrist as he does so.

"What's with the face?" Snotlout asks, to which Mom quickly replies, "Nothing." There's a short pause, during which I wonder about what Snotlout was referring to, before she continues, "We should probably get going; we're pretty far from the village, and we don't want to be walking home in the dark."

Next thing I know, Mom's hands are on my arm, and she's leading me somewhere. As my fingers are pulled away from Bot's scales, he lets out a barely audible whine. Then, he's back by my side, nudging my leg with his head. I know he's expecting my to grab his spine, to let him be my guide, but I pretend like I don't know what he's doing. After all, this dragon is supposed to be wild, not trained.

As it turns out, Mom was leading me back to Toothless. She releases my arm once my hand touches his saddle, and I can feel her standing behind me, watching me like a hawk as I climb on. On the one hand, I'm reassured to know that, were I to slip, she'd be there to catch me before I even hit the ground; however, being constantly looked after like that is also a little irksome. It makes me feel like a baby, like I'm not mature enough to take care of myself, like I'm not strong enough to handle a little fall.

The quiet forest sounds are soon replaced with the whispers of my extended family as they argue (some more than others) amongst themselves. I'm not sure what it's about, but I manage to pick out my name a few times, and any happy feelings I had about the plan going well fade away. I let out a sigh, and my shoulders slump. Bot trills in concern, but doesn't come up to me, and Toothless growls softly. I can only assume he doesn't want an unfamiliar dragon approaching his rider's daughter, and Bot doesn't dare cross him.

The adults continue their whispered fight. I pretend not to hear them.


	13. Twelve

Throughout the walk back to the village, Astrid keeps a wary eye on the yellow dragon. It doesn't seem very threatening, but she can't shake the worry writhing in her gut. If that dragon were to suddenly attack, it would take all of two seconds for it to hurt, maybe even _kill_, her daughter.

Biting her lip, she focuses her eyes back on the path. _Dragons aren't like that_, she reminds herself, but it's still hard to relax. If something were to happen, anything at all, Kata wouldn't be able to defend herself. Astrid had seen so much pain growing up when the Vikings were still at war with dragons; she couldn't bear to see any of that pain happen to her daughter.

"You're making that face again," Snotlout points out.

"Shut up," she hisses back.

"No! You're acting weird."

"What's this about?" Hiccup asks, coming up beside them.

"Nothing."

"Astrid's making faces," Snotlout says with an accusing point, "and they're weirding me out!"

Astrid rolls her eyes at his childishness and ends up looking back at Kata again. The yellow dragon is slinking along behind Toothless, looking up at Kata as with some sort of longing shining in it's bright, magenta eyes. It takes a few steps too close and Toothless snaps back at it, the movement jostling Kata, making her grab the saddle to keep her balance.

"That's it!" Snotlout cries triumphantly. "That's the face!"

Hiccup follows his wife's gaze and sighs. "This is about Kata, isn't it?" he asks softly.

"Of course it's about Kata!" Astrid bites out, her whispered words sharp.

"Look, Astrid, she's fine. See? Not a scratch on her."

"Yeah? And what happens if that dragon gets mad, hmm?"

"Actually, Astrid," Fishlegs interjects, "for a wild dragon, this one doesn't seem to be all that aggressive."

And it's true. The dragon cowers behind Toothless, who snaps at it if it gets too close. He's taking is job of guarding Kata very serious, as usual, and Astrid is impressed. Toothless never let anything happen to Hiccup, so she knows he won't let anything happen to Kata.

That doesn't mean she's comfortable with seeing her daughter out in the middle of the forest, though. She's dwarfed by the massive trees surrounding them. Branches reach out from the side of the path to snag her hair or scratch her face. Astrid's heart screaming that Kata shouldn't be out here, and though he'd never admit it, Hiccup feels the same.

"In fact, I'm actually a little worried by how tame it seems," Fishlegs continues, glancing at the dragon.

Hiccup shifts his eyes from Kata to the dragon following close behind. "What do you mean?"

"Well, wild dragons aren't usually this well behaved. It's almost as if this one's already been trained."

"And that's cause for worry?"

"_Think_ Hiccup! If this dragon's been trained, then that means-"

"We aren't the only dragon riders out there." Hiccup sighs, trying to think of what this might mean for Berk. For a brief moment he flashes back to Drago Bludvist, and the dragon army he tried to build. His heart clenches in his chest and tears spring to his eyes. He blinks them away as quick as he can, hoping no one saw. _I can't let something like that happen again._ He takes a deep breath and walks up beside Valka. "Hey, Mom, you've explored out beyond the archipelago, right?"

"I have. But this dragon," she gestures vaguely behind her, "is unlike anything I've seen before."

"That's not what I'm asking." The seriousness of Hiccup's voice causes Valka to look back at him with worry in her eyes. "You never came across another tribe of dragon riders, did you?"

She shakes her head, trying to connect the question with their current situation. "Until I saw you again, I thought I was the only one." There are a few moments of tense silence before she puts a hand on her son's shoulder, quietly asking, "Hiccup, what is this about?"

"It's just the way that dragon's been acting. It doesn't really seem wild."

"You think it's been trained?"

"It's a possibility."

Valka turned her head to study the dragon. It was following them quite obediently, although that could just be because of Toothless's commands. It had hissed at her when she first encountered it, but it never made a move to attack her. Thinking it over, she decides that, yes, it is possible that this dragon was trained. Possible, but not very likely. She tells Hiccup as much.

"Still, better safe than sorry. When we get back to Berk we should organize a search party, see if it's rider is on the island. Maybe we can set up a look out, in case..." He doesn't finish his sentence, but Valka understands what hes trying to say.

"I don't think you have to worry about something like that. It's probably just a dragon that got separated from it's pack, that's all."

"But we don't know anything about this species," Hiccup argues. "How do we know the rest of the pack won't come looking for it. We'll set up a look out. If anything out of the ordinary is coming our way, it's best we know about it as soon as possible. In the mean time, we'll work on getting this species into the Book of Dragons. Now, what class do you think it is?"


	14. Thirteen

After spending the whole day on the back of a dragon, it feels good to have my feet back on solid ground. It'd feel better to know where we actually were, though. In front of the house, I think, but maybe not. I'm standing on a path, that much I know. There are a lot of paths in Berk, though. Just standing here, it's impossible to identify this one.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow," Dad says to the other Vikings.

"Oh, this is so exciting!" Fishlegs squeals. "We haven't come across new dragon species since we were teenagers. I heard you and Valka discussing it's classification while we were walking back, and-"

"Tomorrow, Fishlegs," Mom interrupts in her no-nonsense tone.

"But-"

"It's late. We've been walking all day and I'm tired and I'd really like to get home. You can talk all about it tomorrow, okay?" Mom takes my arm and pulls me away from the group. We aren't walking uphill, so we're not in front of the house. I guess we're somewhere in town, then.

There's a shuffle behind us, then Mom says, "So that dragon's coming home with us?"

"Yeah," Dad answers. "I figured it's be better to keep him around Toothless, him being the Alpha and all. At least that way, if he starts making trouble, Toothless can take care of him."

_He won't make trouble, _I want to say. Bot is a good dragon, very well behaved. But how can I promise things of a dragon I'm not supposed to know? Its better for me to keep my mouth shut. That should stop me from digging myself into holes.

"If he was going to start making trouble," Mom counters, "I'd rather it be as far away from... the house-" (by this she means me) "- as possible. Couldn't your mother take him in?"

"I don't think he likes her very much."

Mom huffs and starts to pull me ahead. Dad stays behind, and Toothless croons in concerned confusion. "Taking in another dragon isn't a problem, is it?" I ask, and she tightens her grip on my arm.

"You shouldn't be around wild dragons," she grinds out, quickening our pace. "It's too dangerous."

I want to say something, to defend myself and my dragon, but I can't come up with a defense strong enough to calm her fury. I bite the inside of my lip and focus on keeping up with her as she steers us onto the path leading to the house. She has me pause on the top step, and I let her open the door for me without a complaint. Now is not the time to be hung up on demonstrating my independence, not when she's already in such a bad mood.

The door creaks open and she pulls me inside, leading me to the stairs. Back to my room, I guess. "I don't think the dragon isn't _that_ wild. I mean, I did that hand-thing, so... we're good, right?" I keep my tone quiet and gentle. Hopefully I was able to reason with her, calm her fear enough to trust me to be around Bot. If she keeps us separated, how can I show Dad the bond between us?

She hums noncommittally and pushes me into my room, shutting the door behind me.

I sigh and walk over to my bed, sitting down and trying to think things through. I hear her descend the stairs, and a few moments later the front door opens. I can't immediately tell if she's going out or someone else is coming in, but soon the sound of Dad's voice drifts up to me. Mom's reply sounds venomous.

I curl up into a ball, throwing my hands over my ears in an attempt to block out the sounds of the newest installment of The Fights. I don't want to listen. I never want to listen.

Their shouts drift through anyway.

-§-

At some point during the night, I fall asleep. I wake before morning; the air is still night-cool, and not a single creature makes a sound. I sit up from where I was sprawled across the bed, trying to figure out what woke me.

From somewhere in the middle of my room, something chirps.

"Bot?" I whisper, and in a flash his scaly nose is nudging at my cheek. My smile is so wide it feels like it's split my face from ear to ear. "Hey, pal! I'm happy to see you, too. How'd you even get in here?"

He purrs and flips over on my lap, requesting a belly rub. I laugh softly at his antics and comply. His purring grows even louder as he happily writhes around. Without warning, he springs up and starts exploring my bed. He sniffs around for a bit before curling up against my back. I turn around so I can stroke his shoulders. "I don't think Mom will be very happy if she finds you here in the morning," I whisper to him. He huffs and curls up even tighter. His message is clear: _I'm not budging._

"Okay," I relent, "you can stay for a little while. But you're going to have to go back to wherever you came from before Mom and Dad wake up. They don't trust you very much, you know."

Bot's deep breathing and quiet snores clue me into the fact that he's asleep, but I keep talking to him. Over the past few years, he's the only one whom I've told everything; all my secrets, every thought, every feeling. Asleep or not, talking to him just feels right. "They think you're wild, and that you're just waiting around to hurt me. Well, that's what Mom thinks, anyway. I don't really know how Dad feels about you just yet. But I know he's going to love you once he gets to know you. If I can just show him how well we work together, and how much we care for each other... if I can show him our bond... He'd never break the bond between a dragon and it's rider. Once he sees our bond, he'll let you stay. Maybe by that time, Mom will have come around. She's just scared for me, that's all. She worries. But she'll realize that I can take care of myself, especially when I have you around to help me when I need it." At lest, I hope she will.

I'm feeling sleepy now. The constant, repetitive motion of my hand, the warmth radiating from Bot, his rhythmic breathing; it lulls me off to sleep. As my heavy eyelids fall closed, I forget all about the fact that Bot really shouldn't be here. I forget about all the plans I need to make to get Mom and Dad to let me keep him. I forget about everything. My world becomes just this: me and my dragon, together despite everything. My problems can wait until tomorrow. For now, I am content.


	15. Fourteen

Bot wakes up with the sun. Outside of Kata's room, Terrible Terrors chirp happily in the early light. Kata is still asleep, smiling as she dreams, and Bot is happy to be here with her. He knows she doesn't want the adult Vikings to find him with her, but there is nowhere else he'd rather be.

He listens carefully, trying to determine if Kata's parents are awake, but they, too, are asleep. He looks back down at his girl and smiles. At the moment, everything is right in Bot's world. The grown up Vikings have not sent him away, he has met the Alpha, and his girl is peaceful beside him._ This is what life is meant to be_, he decides, settling back down. Not even the cold of the approaching winter bothers him now.

There are footsteps on the stairs. No, not footsteps. Pawsteps. His head shoots up in a panic, momentarily disturbing Kata. She makes a small noise of displeasure and shifts in her sleep. Bot wants to nuzzle her in comfort, but her bedroom door is nudged open, and there stands the Alpha. His glares at Bot and growls lowly, _You should not be here._

Bot drops his eyes to the floor and says nothing.

The Alpha stands in a threatening position, and Bot knows that if he weren't so close to the Alpha Viking's daughter, the Alpha would be attacking him. He should leave, go back to where the Alpha Viking left him for the night, but Kata throws her arm across him, her fingers unconsciously stroking his chest before she relaxes back into sleep. Bot does nuzzle her now, burying his nose in her soft hair.

He knows he's going to be sent away now. This is what Kata was always worried about. The Vikings and their dragons don't trust him around Kata, although he can't figure out why. He loves his girl, he'd never do anything to hurt her.

Bot peeks up at the Alpha. His hard stance has broken, and he's shifting ever so slightly from paw to paw. He no longer looks angry or threatening, just confused. He slides a little closer, eyes darting between girl and dragon. He grumbles a bit and narrows his eyes at Bot, demanding an explanation. Bot offers none and instead ducks his head, looking down at the floor again.

The Alpha huffs, a little too loudly, waking Kata. She hums sleepily and raises her head off the bed. Her thumb strokes the scales on Bot's chest for a few moments. She stills when the Alpha lets out a short, accusatory growl, one she knows Bot didn't make.

"Toothless?"

The Alpha sends a small puff of air in her direction as confirmation.

Kata moves her hand from Bot's chest to his jaw and whispers, "Are Mom and Dad here?" He shakes his head _no_ and she sighs in relief. Toothless doesn't take long to remind her that, although she may not be in trouble with her parents just yet, she's still in trouble with him.

"Please don't let Dad know," she begs quietly. "I just need a little more time. I'll tell him eventually, I promise. I just need them to see that I can take care of myself _and _a dragon. Please, Toothless. Just let me show them."

Kata reaches out her other hand, feeling for Toothless. He grumbles a bit, but eventually nuzzles against her palm, allowing her her secret, for now.

"Thank you," Kata whispers, stroking his chin. He grumbles again before turning and heading back to the door. He stops in the doorway, swinging his head around to shoot an unimpressed look at Bot.

_Out. Now, _he barks out. Whimpering apologetically, Bot slinks out of Kata's grasp. She doesn't know exactly why he's leaving her, but she has a pretty good guess. Besides, it's better for him to go; he's not supposed to be here anyway. Still, that doesn't stop her from feeling upset as her dragon crawls away from her.

Toothless watches Bot as he walks down the stairs, making sure he doesn't try to sneak back into Kata's room. Kata may trust this dragon, but he doesn't, not yet. Kata is very important to him, and even more important to Hiccup. He'll be having a serious talk with that dragon before he lets him near Kata again.

With one final look at Kata to make sure she's settling back into sleep, Toothless heads down the stairs. He finds Bot curled up in front of the fire, keeping warm in the early-morning chill. As soon as he realizes the Alpha is in the room with him, Bot sits straight up.

Toothless stares at him for a while before laying down. Bot shifts uncomfortably, not sure what to do. The Alpha is still staring at him, and Got gets the feeling that he's in quite a bit of trouble.

The minutes tick by and still the Alpha says nothing. Bot settles down again, on edge but happy to be by the warmth of the fire. For the most part, he keeps his eyes on the bright flames, but every so often he steals a quick glance at the Alpha. The Alpha's bright green eyes are fixed on him, taking in every inch of him in detail. Bot squirms uncomfortably again, wondering what the Alpha is thinking.

He doesn't have to wonder long.

_You and I, _the Alpha says slowly, _are going to have a talk._


	16. Fifteen

Without Bot by my side, my room starts to feel like a prison again. I toss and turn on the bed for a while, but it never gets anymore comfortable. Eventually I give up on falling back asleep. It's already morning, anyway, although I doubt Mom and Dad will get up for at least another hour or two.

I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, considering what to do. Well, what can I do? I could go downstairs and see Bot.

I get up and tiptoe over to the door. If I listen closely, I can hear Toothless growling softly, and sometimes Bot lets out a quiet chirp in response. Something's going on between the dragons, and I don't think I should interrupt.

Not sure what else to do, I decide to brush my hair. It gives my hands something to do, and it's pretty relaxing. My brush is on my desk again, and I still don't know why, but after running it through my hair for a few minutes, I start to feel better.

I walk to the window and take a deep breath of the crisp, morning air. The freshness of it helps me feel less caged in, but I'd still rather be anywhere else. I think of the warm summer days when Bot and I would spend hours playing in the lake, and I would always end up soaked by the splashes from his excited leaps in and out of the water. The memory makes me smile.

I bend down and lay my chest on the windowsill, stretching my arms out into the cool air. The sun provides some heat, and my arms start to warm up a little. It feels nice. I imagine myself glowing, radiating pure light. It makes me feel invincible.

Not too far above me, Terrible Terrors are perched on the roof, chirping noisily. I try to call one down to me, but they pay me no mind. "Aw, come on," I insist, and eventually one drops down next to me on the sill. I scratch its side, and it purrs happily. The purring reminds me of Bot, and I know I need to finalize the details of my plan. I need to show Mom and Dad that I'm responsible and trustworthy, as well as demonstrate how good Bot is for me. How I'm going to do that is beyond me.

After thinking it over for a few minutes, I decide that I can let Bot led me around for a bit while Mom and Dad watch, maybe have him fetch some things for me. That will show them how helpful he is and how good a team we make. I know they worry about me; they think I can't take care of myself because I'm blind. But if they see that I can take care of myself, that Bot can help me do just about anything they can do, they'll have to let him stay.

The Terrible Terror has had enough petting. It gets up, shakes off my hand, and is gone from the windowsill. "Go ahead," I say to it as it presumably flies back to the rest of its pack, "_you're_ not cooped up here." I close my eyes and try to remember how it feels to be racing through the air on Bot's back, wind in my face and my hair streaming out behind me. The memory makes me feel good, and I start dreaming about a day when I don't have to sneak away to get to fly with Bot.

How great would it be if I could fly with Mom and Dad for once? It's nice flying just Bot and me, but we could have such a nice time flying as a family. I'm sure Bot would love the opportunity to show off to Toothless, just like I'd love the opportunity to show off to Mom and Dad. Dad was said to be the best dragon rider on Berk, but I feel confident that I've got a few moves he's never seen before.

A knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts. I stand up and turn to face the door as whoever is on the other side pushes it open.

"Good morning," Mom says, the emotion in her voice unreadable.

"Morning!" I return brightly. If this thing is going to work, I need to be agreeable; Mom and Dad are much more likely to let me keep Bot if we don't give them any trouble. "It's nice out. Are you and Stormfly going to go flying?"

"Not today," she says. "Your father had to go out and-" she cuts herself off, but I know what she was going to say.

"And you're staying home to watch me?"

She doesn't answer, and I think she actually feels bad about it. I know phrasing it like that makes it seem like I think she doesn't trust me, but that _is_ what she's doing. I smile and tell her, "It's okay, I don't mind. I like spending time with you."

There's a momentary pause, and then she says, "I'm smiling right now." Her footsteps come closer, and then her hand is on my arm. "Come on, let's go have some breakfast."


End file.
